Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) will close a chapter on harness racing in the once "Giant of Maritime Racing" on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Exhibition Park Raceway.
With the Saint John Exhibition Association not entering into a new lease with for 2023, horses have been asked to be off the premises by year end. This brings an end to racing in the city that has taken place for centuries.
The Exhibition Association declined an interview request with CBC earlier this week, issuing a statement that "the [Exhibition Association] Board has made the decision to position itself to be able to explore opportunities that may have the potential to make better use of the lands and facilities, thus providing a greater service to the greater Saint John community."
Horse Racing New Brunswick's President Brock McEachern confirmed to Trot Insider that HRNB made two offers that included increased rent, but the offers were declined by the Exhibition Association.
"They've never given us a reason why other than that one small statement that they're exploring new options," said McEachern. "They're ending 150 years of racing in Saint John without a why."
The final live card of racing in the Port City of Saint John is set for Sunday with the finals of the New Brunswick Breeders Stakes and memorial races for many Saint John iconic figures. There will be more than $58,000 in purse money doled out on the seven-dash program, which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
Race two of the day is the $8,640 Peter & Jeanne Gray Memorial, the N.B. Breeders Stakes three-year-old colt final. Brumby, who will be driven by David Dowling, is the morning-line choice from the inside post. The Jamie Smith trainee, who won an earlier leg of the stakes back on May 14, will take on rivals Theodore J Down and Big Time Brawler.
Race six is the richest of the day with more than $32,000 in purse money in the two-year-old filly and colt final. Nannie Bernice goes in as the odds-on choice as she is riding a win streak of five and will start from post one. She dropped her lifetime record to 1:57.1 two starts ago for her regular driver John Davidson and trainer Janice Hubbard.
The final race of the afternoon will recognize one of Exhibition Park Raceway's pioneers with the $2,500 Ingham Palmer Memorial, which has been dubbed the High Atop the Grandstand Pace. Ing "The King" was track announcer and publicity director at Exhibition Park Raceway for decades, and is affectionately known as the "Dean of Maritime track announcers." He was known for his smooth delivery and had a majestic way of calling a horse race. American Risk, a pacer who has raced the Maritimes' best all season, will ship in from Nova Scotia for trainer George Rennison and has been listed as the one to beat by the oddsmaker. He will have the services of Todd Trites from post five.
There are a number of Exhibition Park well-known horsemen and women being remembered on the final card. Besides the aforementioned, there will be races in memory of Brian Moore, the Kirkpatrick family, Mac Lawson and Ken Atkinson.
Horse Racing New Brunswick extends its gratitude to those who are sponsoring coolers and to the horsemen and women who are taking part in not only this race card, but every one of the race cards over the years. Horse Racing New Brunswick hopes to continue racing in 2023 at another location in the province.
To view the entries for the final card of harness racing at EPR, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Exhibition Park Raceway.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)